India, Sept. 17 -- This week, a seismic shift occurred in the list of the highest-grossing actors of all time. For decades, the list has been topped by Hollywood's top stars, the ones who make the big bucks. The arrival of franchises meant the faces of the biggest film franchises took over in the 21st century. But one thing was common. The highest-grossing actor in the world was almost always someone over 40, with a sizable body of work under their belt. Now, for the first time, a 30-year-old leads the charts. And given the way his career is progressing, may just stay on top for a long time to come.

For years now, the crown of the highest-grossing actor has been like a game of musical chairs between Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Saldana, and C...